Snow days. Sledding. Snowball fights. Winter can offer a lot of fun activities for children, ones that adults look back on with longing.

Other winter incidents — hypothermia, frostbite, broken bones and head injuries — are ones parents hope their children can do without.

Snow may seem cushioning in cartoons, but the season still merits precautions for safe enjoyment, said Dr. Denis Pauze, vice chairman of clinical operations for the emergency department at Albany Medical Center Hospital.

"We encourage children to get outside to enjoy the outdoors and to just have fun, really anything to avoid electronics and electronic use," he said. "But winter sports are associated with injuries, and sometimes — very sadly — significant injuries."

In 2015, Dubuque, Iowa received national media attention after banning sledding in its city parks. (The ban was later repealed.) Pauze cited a 2010 study, which found that more than 229,000 children younger than 19 were treated in U.S. emergency departments for sledding-related injuries. That study, conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, said the most common injuries from sledding were fractures, with cuts and bruises following.

Just like with protective gear for bicycles, Pauze recommends children wear helmets while sledding, skiing and doing similar winter activities. Awareness of your child's environs can also cut down on injuries.

"I think it's important to make sure the ... surroundings are safe. In other words, if they're going down a large hill, make sure that 15 feet after the jump isn't a tree or a parked car or a garbage can or something they could collide into," Pauze said.

But you don't even need to be going at a fast clip to cause harm in the winter. The weather itself can be harmful if you're not properly prepared.

Hypothermia, frostbite and frostnip (while less extreme than frostbite, frostnip can still damage skin) are conditions a child could develop if not properly dressed.

With children — who can sometimes forget where they placed that warm mitten or go bare-handed to get a better grip on a snowball — parents should make sure they are properly attired, he said, and be aware of where outside their children are playing.

Common areas to keep clothed, especially in cold temperatures, include the ears, nose, chin, hands and feet, Pauze said. Some indications of succumbing to cold are:

Numbness or tingling of the extremities

Clumsy movement

If the skin starts to turn colors (red, then white and beyond)

If your child seems to have cold-caused injuries, Pauze recommends bringing them into a warm area and replacing any wet clothing. If conditions don't improve by being inside or after warming up the skin, seek medical treatment, Pauze said.

Parents should also try to explain to their children, especially young ones, about the possible outcomes of not being prepared in cold weather.

"I tell my kids that the cold will give boo-boos to your hands and feet, and Mommy and Daddy need to keep you safe," said Pauze, who has four young kids of his own. "I mean, it can absolutely happen in all age groups and age ranges. ... Kids can sometimes want to stay out and play, and are unaware of the complications."